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U.K. search-and-rescue Sikorsky S-92 enters service with Bristow Group

Sikorsky and Bristow Press Release | September 9, 2014

Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 18 seconds.

Sikorsky has handed over the first S-92 to Bristow Helicopters for the United Kingdom’s search-and-rescue (SAR) service. The helicopter was accepted during a ceremony at the Sikorsky facility in Coatesville, Pa. Bristow Helicopters is affiliated with Bristow Group Inc., and Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

In March 2013, Bristow Helicopters was awarded the contract to provide search and rescue helicopter service in the United Kingdom. The contract begins in April 2015 and runs until 2026. Bristow Helicopters’ U.K. SAR fleet of 22 aircraft will include 11 Sikorsky S-92s that are fitted with state-of-the-art technology.

Under the U.K. SAR contract, Bristow will operate from 10 bases across the U.K., strategically located near areas of high SAR incident rates. These include Inverness, Manston, Prestwick, Caernarfon, Humberside, Newquay, St Athan, Lee-on-Solent, Sumburgh and Stornoway.

Sikorsky and Bristow have done business for more than 40 years. The Bristow fleet currently features more than 160 Sikorsky aircraft of various types.

Bristow Helicopters has a long history of providing SAR services in the U.K., dating back to 1971, when Whirlwind helicopters were replaced by Bristow S-55 helicopters at RAF Manston, in Kent, and continuing with the operation of S-61 helicopters working at four SAR bases, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Lee-on-Solent and Portland, until 2007. In 2012 the company was awarded the U.K. Gap SAR contract for Northern Scotland and, working in partnership with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, currently operates four SAR helicopters from Sumburgh and Stornoway.

In total Bristow Helicopters has flown more than 44,000 SAR operational hours in the U.K. and conducted over 15,000 SAR missions, during which more than 7,000 people have been rescued by the company’s crews and helicopters.

Bristow has led the industry in introducing new aircraft types and technology to the civil market. The SAR equipment it has developed has become the industry standard, resulting in Bristow Helicopters being recognized with the Queen’s Award for Innovation for its technical developments.

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